Dani and Her Little Problem
by kat69d
Summary: A bleeding woman walks into NCIS looking for Gibbs...can the team help her with whatever is happening to her...Dani, Gibbs, and McGee will never be the same...
1. Looking for Gibbs

**Note: Anything that seems familiar isn't mine; only Dani and a couple other characters...I researched what I could about the technical stuff so if I got something wrong, don't shoot me over it...think of it as creative liberties...Enjoy!**

* * *

The elevator doors opened and I walked out into the large office. I did a quick scan of the room and spotted someone I recognized from a photo. I walked around the partitions and stepped into the bullpen. Three people were standing in front of a large TV screen talking. The taller man was smirking and looking at the brunette woman.

"Come off it, Probie. Ziva would never chose you even if it was an undercover mission," he said.

"McGee would be better than you, DiNozzo," she replied.

I cleared my throat to get their attention and all three turned to look at me. DiNozzo's eyes lingered over my body and he smiled at me. The woman, I assumed was Ziva, glared at me probably trying to determine if I was a threat. The guy with sandy brown hair smiled and was the first to approach.

"I'm Special Agent Timothy McGee. Is there anything that I could do for you?" he offered.

"I'm looking for Jethro Gibbs. The guy downstairs said he should be here," I said before swaying, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Are you OK?" DiNozzo asked.

"Being shot will do that to you. I need to see Gibbs."

It was then when they finally noticed the blood that had seeped through my black shirt on my right shoulder. Ziva offered me a chair and went to the phone. McGee rushed over and pulled a first aid kit out of a drawer. DiNozzo just stood there while the others were helping me.

"Is he normally this quiet or is it because I'm bleeding?" I asked.

"I think it's because you're pregnant. Otherwise he'd still be hitting on you," Ziva said.

"McGee. DiNozzo. Why aren't you looking into the case?" Leroy Jethro Gibbs called as he made his way into the bullpen.

It had been years since I had seen him but he still looked the same. His graying hair and his dark eyes were the same. The only differences were the lines around his eyes and the guarded look. McGee and Ziva moved from in front of me so he could see me. I pushed them away and stood. I took a couple of seconds before I staggered.

"Hi, Uncle Jethro."

"Dani?" he asked before I passed out.


	2. Which Side do you Prefer?

**Note: Anything that seems familiar isn't mine; only Dani and a couple other characters...I researched what I could about the technical stuff so if I got something wrong, don't shoot me over it...think of it as creative liberties...Enjoy!**

* * *

I was in a hospital bed when I awoke. Uncle Jethro was sitting in a chair beside me asleep. My shoulder was throbbing but I knew that I couldn't take anything stronger than Tylenol because of the baby. My arm was strapped to my chest with a sling and when I shifted, Uncle Jethro woke up.

"Dani, what happened? You come to my work shot and bleeding. Not to mention you're 23 and pregnant."

"I'm not that little girl who used to follow you around every where. I haven't seen you since Mom's funeral but I knew you'd be able to help me. It is your job to look into crimes within the Navy."

"And what crime would that be?" Uncle Jethro asked.

"Where should I start? Rape, assault, maybe even some drug trafficking?"

"Tell me from the beginning, Dani," he said wearily.

"I'm a Petty Officer on a destroyer. About eight months ago, I had just gotten off duty and was nearing my quarters when I was hit over the head. I woke up to one guy beating me while the other was raping me. I blacked out again and when I woke up, I was in the infirmary. The friend who I was supposed to meet found me unconscious and bleeding in the shower.

"I was a wreck. I wouldn't let any guy near me and you know that there aren't many females on the ships. My C.O. gave me some time off but when I went back to duty, if a guy was within a foot of me, I freaked out. After a week, I had to put in for a transfer. Then I found out I was pregnant."

"Dani, do you know who did this to you?"

"I believe it's the guys who I caught smuggling drugs about a month before my attack. I didn't think they had seen me but I had watched a civilian hand them a white brick and they handed him money."

"OK. Give me their names and the team will look into them."

"Uncle Jethro, I've already given their names to my old C.O. and the guys who interviewed me. Nothing's become of it. Last I heard they were still on active duty and then when I told my C.O. that I was coming to see you, I get shot. It's not a coincidence. He has to be in on it."

Uncle Jethro sighed and stood. He did two paces of the little room before pulling out his phone. He barked several orders into his phone before looking at me. He left the room and came back with a doctor.

"I want her ready to go in half an hour. She's leaving."

Uncle Jethro took me back to NCIS and sat me down at his desk. Only one of the others was there in the bullpen. My hair kept falling into my eyes and pushing it out of my face wasn't working. I knew I had hair elastics in my bag but since blacking out, I didn't know where it had gotten to.

"Um, Uncle Jethro, do you know where my bag is?"

McGee brought it over and I dug into it for an elastic. Trying to put my hair into a ponytail with one hand is nearly impossible. He took pity on me and helped me. I thanked him and waited for my uncle to say or do something.

"McGee, take Dani somewhere safe. She can't go back to her place until this is straightened out. Clearly they know where she is. Don't let her leave your sight."

"I'm not a child. I don't need 24 hour surveillance," I fumed.

"Ah, boss. Where should I take her?"

"I don't care, McGee. You will stay with him until I come and get you. I'm going to look into this."

"I can take care of myself," I said, standing up and putting my hand on my hip like my mother had when she was making a point.

"Obviously you can't since you were shot. I won't allow what happened to Kelly happen to you. If they are coming after you because of what you saw, then I'll make sure I get to them first," he said before stalking off.

I looked around Uncle Jethro's desk and noticed a photo of a headstone. I looked closer and noticed that it was my cousin's. When we had been notified, we were devastated at their deaths but my mother was more worried about her brother. She knew he wouldn't take it well. He completely changed. Uncle Jethro once had a softer side but now the only emotion he really showed was seriousness. I had loved the jokes he used to play but that was in the past.

"We should go. Gibbs will be furious if we're still here when he gets back."

I waited while McGee grabbed his backpack and followed him out to his car. I got myself situated in the front seat, buckled my seatbelt, and waited for him to start the drive to wherever he was going to hide me away. We were still sitting there a minute later so I snapped my fingers in front of his face to wake him up.

"I don't want to be in protective custody as much as you want to babysit me but shouldn't we be leaving?" I asked.

He blinked and looked over at me. I tucked a loose strand of my black hair behind my ear and stared into his eyes. I could tell he was nervous ever since being left alone with me. I shifted in my seat and gave him one of my famous smiles.

"He told you to take me somewhere safe. I can't go home and I don't think my uncle would appreciate me staying at his house so that leaves your place."

McGee could see that I was right. No one would think to look for me there. He started the car and drove. I tried to keep up with the sights that were flying by as we went but the silence was killing me. Normally when I'm in a vehicle, the radio is on and blaring some great music.

"So, do you prefer Probie, McGee or Timothy?" I asked.

"Tim's fine. Only Tony calls me Probie. And you're Dani."

"Sorry. I probably should have introduced myself since you will be my protector until Uncle Jethro gets off his high horse. I'm Petty Officer Danielle Quartermaine. My mom was Uncle Jethro's sister. She died a couple years ago from cancer. My dad was shot in the line of duty as a Metro detective when I was 7."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I should warn you that I wasn't expecting guests so my apartment is in a bit of chaos right now and I don't have much in non-frozen food. Working in NCIS can mean a lot of different hours so frozen is the best way to go."

"Then you're in luck. I do a mean impersonation of a maid and a cook. But we will need real food for that."

Tim and I did a quick stop in at a Whole Foods and picked up some necessities. Since I am eight months pregnant, I had to grab a carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, a jar of pickles, and some chocolate. Tim gave me weird looks and while I assured him that I didn't mix them together, I could tell that he didn't believe me.

His apartment was a mess but the layout and style was perfect. I love the bay window and the old movie posters on the brick wall. While Tim unpacked the groceries, I took a little tour. I checked out his computers, his book collection, and the stack of movies in a stand near the TV.

"Don't you find it hard to separate your sleeping space from your vegging out space?"

"Vegging out?"

"You know, where you relax. Your TV is in front of the bed, your computer desk is situated not even five feet from the bed and there is no couch. If you shifted the furniture around, you could make it seem like there's more than the main room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. But that would be my mom talking. She was an interior designer and she used to teach me all about it. But let's forget about that. What would you like to do first? Tidy or eat?"

There wasn't much to do with the tidying. It was more of picking stuff up and putting it where it belonged. I straightened out the kitchen, arranged his movies and vinyl records, and attempted to do the desk but he stopped me.

"The papers are in a precious way so they're easier to find when I need them," he explained.

"Sure, no problem. I just want to point out though that what you have written for that translation is wrong. You probably used a translation program but only an older adult would state it like that."

"You speak Russian?" he asked.

"Russian, French, Greek, a bit of Mandarin, and I was going to learn Italian."

"Why so many?" Tim asked as he came over to stand next to me.

"My grandmother knew French so I learned that from her. I learned I had a knack for learning languages so I randomly picked others to learn. You'll laugh but a Trekkie friend dared me to learn some Klingon. I won $200 from that bet," I laughed.

I moved into the kitchen and started on dinner. I boiled the water for spaghetti, cooked the hamburger, and started in on the sauce. I needed to chop some of the veggies so I slipped my arm out of the sling and picked up the knife.

"Gibbs would kill me if you hurt yourself even more. Just tell me what you need and I'll do it. It's not like I don't know how to cook."

"Can you make sauce from scratch?" I asked, looking over to him.

"I think I can handle it."

The sauce was spectacular. Grandma Quartermaine's recipe had been in the family for decades and I had been taught it at such a young age but this beat it out. After my first bite, I questioned him with a glance. His face lit up with a smile as he lifted another forkful to his mouth.

"I told you that I could cook. It's a McGee secret recipe. I take it you like it."

"Duh. It is to die for. My taste buds are on overload."

Tim ushered me out of the kitchen while he cleaned up. I took a closer look at his movies and selected one that I hadn't seen before. I settled on the bed, leaning against the headboard and started watching the movie. After half an hour, I couldn't sit still any longer. I am normally walking laps at the club at this time of the night. I peaked over to Tim working at his computer.

He had taken off his suit coat and tie, sleeves pushed up around his elbows. I watched him as he typed, stopped, flipped through his pile of papers, and begin typing again. Tim looked like he was in his element, like whatever he was doing was his passion. I was itching to go out and walk but didn't want to disturb him so I sat back and continued with the movie.

It was nearing 9pm when the movie ended. My shoulder was beginning to ache and I felt dirty so I decided to take a bath. I grabbed a book from the shelf and went to tell Tim what I was going to do. It wasn't until I was standing in front of him that a realization hit me.

"Dani, is everything alright?" he asked looking up at me.

"I was going to have a bath but I don't have anything to change into. We'll need to get me some clothes tomorrow."

"I have some sweatpants and a T-shirt that you could wear. Would that work?"

I nodded and he stood. I hadn't realized but he was only a couple inches taller than me. He put down the pen that was in his left hand and went to the bedroom to grab some clothes for me. He handed them to me and noticed the book in my hand.

"I hope you enjoy that book. I know the author and knows that he'll take any criticism that a reader can give."

It wasn't until I was in the warm water when I noticed the author picture on the back of the book. I smiled and started to read _Deep Six_. I was only half way through when I realized the water had gone cold and needed to be warmed up. Rather than turning into more of a prune than I already was, I heaved my pregnant body out of the bathtub and dried myself off.

Dressed in Tim's shirt and sweatpants, I took the book and moved out of the bathroom. Tim had taken the opportunity to change out of his suit but was back at the desk typing away. I settled onto the bed and continued reading. McGregor was just beginning to seduce Amy and I wanted to see if she went along with it.

"Ah, Dani, I just wanted to say goodnight," Tim said, standing there awkwardly.

"I'm warning you now that I might get up a few times during the night but other than that, I shouldn't disturb you."

"Why would you be disturbing me?"

"The bed movement. I know it's a queen but you'll still feel me getting out of bed."

"I'm not sleeping in the bed, Dani. I have an air mattress and a sleeping bag. I'll sleep there."

"I'm the one putting you out so technically it should be me but you'll tell me that you won't allow it. I won't allow you to hurt your back especially since we don't know how long this will be going on for. Which side do you prefer? Left or right?"

He motioned towards the left so I scooted over to the right side. He seemed nervous as he sat on the bed. He removed his watch and laid it on the nightstand. Tim pulled back the comforter and got into bed.

"Um, goodnight."

"Night, Thom E."


	3. Kidnapped

**Note: Anything that seems familiar isn't mine; only Dani and a couple other characters...I researched what I could about the technical stuff so if I got something wrong, don't shoot me over it...think of it as creative liberties...Enjoy!**

* * *

Tim's bed was so comfortable, much more than the one I had at home. I did get up during the night but I didn't wake Tim up. I did wake up once when I felt a warm body up against mine. He moved over during the night and was spooning me. His arm was resting over my hip nearly on my belly. I smiled and moved his hand near the top of my belly and fell asleep.

When I awoke in the morning, it was still to Tim spooning me except to two differences. His hand had moved north and there was something poking into my lower back. It didn't bother me that I had just met the man in bed with me a day previous; what bothered me was that I hadn't experienced this before. Not like guys hadn't asked me out during high school or the two years of university, I was more concerned with my education. While I wasn't a virgin and hadn't been for years, I've never made the time for a real relationship.

I knew that even if I wasn't pregnant, Tim would never see me past being Uncle Jethro's niece. I carefully lifted his hand off of my breast and crept from the bed. I cleaned up in the bathroom and checked on him as I made my way to the kitchen. He was still asleep so I put on a pot of coffee and started on toast and eggs.

A phone began ringing and I heard Tim's croaking voice answer the phone.

"Oh, hi, boss. Dani's doing great. Sounds like she's making breakfast. Do you want to speak to her?"

Tim walked into the kitchen and handed me the phone. His hair was slightly messed up and the shirt he had worn to bed was wrinkled. I took the phone and motioned to the pot of coffee.

"Hi, Uncle Jethro. I just made some coffee. You should come over and have a cup or two or five."

"Is McGee protecting you, Dani? You haven't had any problems with him, have you?"

"I'm fine. Tim's been a perfect gentleman," I replied, excluding the groping that happened this morning. "So have you found out anything?"

"One of the Petty Officers is in custody and DiNozzo and Ziva are going to get the other Petty Officer and your C.O. Stick close to McGee."

"I promise, Uncle Jethro. Will it be alright for us to do a quick trip to my condo to get some necessities? I only need 10 minutes and Tim's got his gun so if anything should happen."

"Pass the phone to McGee."

I gave the phone back to Tim and buttered the toast that just popped. I watched his expressions and knew instantly that my uncle said something serious to him. He nodded as he verbally acknowledged whatever Uncle Jethro said. His hand wiped across his face and he looked at me.

"We leave in 5 and you'll only have 10 minutes to get whatever you need. He said to pack small since he believes this will be over by tomorrow."

I clapped my hands together and went to change into my clothes from yesterday. When I exited the bathroom, I caught Tim pulling on a shirt. He might look doughy but he wasn't fat. He had slight love handles but I don't mind them on a guy. He was reaching up to put a tie on when I cleared my throat.

"You don't have to get dressed up just for me. It'll probably look better if you put on jeans and a T-shirt. You won't stand out as much."

I went into the kitchen to give him time to change and cleaned up. He came and got me, dressed in jeans, a plain black T-shirt, and a leather jacket. Instinctively I reached out and felt the softest leather. I ran my hand up and down the chest of his jacket a few times before I realized we should be going.

I gave Tim my address in Ballston and started on a mental list of things I'd need to grab. I should call work and tell them that I'd be away for awhile and I should arrange for my neighbor to grab my mail.

"Earth to Dani."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Tim. I was thinking of everything I had to do."

Tim had arrived at my place and had come around to my side to open the door for me. Because of the low seats he offered a hand and helped heft me out of the car. I let us into the building and checked my mail slot. A few bills but nothing pressing.

"Dani, there you are. How are you? Is the baby well? Why is your arm in a sling?"

Tim and I turned and found my next door neighbor struggling in with her grocery bags. Tim went and took them from her.

"Mrs. Nicholls, I'm fine and so is the baby. I tripped and sprained my wrist. Going up?"

We rode the elevator up to the 7th floor and I headed to #703 while Mrs. Nicholls and Tim went to #702. She opened the door and took the bags back from Tim.

"I haven't seen you around Dani before. I don't think I've met a wonderful young man like yourself who would be willing to date a pregnant woman."

"Uh…" Tim stuttered.

"He's not new. I met him almost a year ago. Do you think you can check my mail while I spend some time with Tim?" I asked, handing her the mail key.

She agreed and closed the door. Tim looked at me and followed me into my condo. He looked around while I quickly threw some clothes, personal necessities, and movies into a bag. Tim was checking out my childhood photos that I had on the wall. He pointed at a young girl.

"That's Kelly about 2 weeks before she died. Uncle Jethro was overseas at the time and didn't get the copy we sent until after he came out of the coma and found out."

I called my work and told them that I would be unavailable for a period of time and if they needed to get a hold of me, they could contact Uncle Jethro at NCIS. We were on our way to the elevator when I noticed Mrs. Nicholls standing in her open doorway.

"He's the father," she stated.

"We need to get going, Mrs. Nicholls. Thanks again for checking the mail."

When alone in the elevator, Tim asked why I let her believe he was the father. I explained that she didn't know what happened on the destroyer and it would be better if she believed what she wanted to believe. Tim held open the door for me and I stepped out onto the sidewalk. I didn't see him come out from around the corner. I only saw Tim as he fell, a dark splotch seeping out from underneath his body.

"You, bitch. Just had to go NCIS," the man seethed as he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the idling van.

The younger man of the two was sitting in the driver's seat ready to pull out. The side door was flung open and I was pushed into the van. I tried pulling my arm away from the man but his grip became tighter. I looked back out at Tim, still lying on the sidewalk bleeding.

"Tim!" I cried.


	4. Oops

**Note: Anything that seems familiar isn't mine; only Dani and a couple other characters...I researched what I could about the technical stuff so if I got something wrong, don't shoot me over it...think of it as creative liberties...Enjoy!**

* * *

The door closed and the van took off. I glared at the man. He looked older than the last time I saw him about a week ago. His brunette hair seemed to be streaked with gray and there were new lines around his eyes. I kicked out at him and caught him in his shin. His grip on my arm let go and I crossed them over my belly.

"Using more than you've been selling?" I quipped.

"Shut it. Without you there's nothing. Peter, take her to the cabin. We'll bury her body there."

"John, what the fuck. She's pregnant. We can't kill a pregnant woman."

"She won't be pregnant much longer. Now get to the cabin."

John tied my hands in front of me and gagged me. I kicked out at him again and brought him to his knees. His hands instinctively went to his crushed balls so I kicked his head into the side of the van. He was still conscious but seeing stars. I turned to Peter and tried punching him. He slammed on the brakes and I went flying into the back of the passenger seat. Now I was the one seeing stars.

_Click._

I looked back and stared down the end of a 9mm Glock. I knew he was down at least 1 round from shooting Tim but there wasn't room to run around to get him to use up the others. I held up my hands in surrender but an instant later, they went to my belly. I was feeling a tight cramp in my lower belly, probably from hitting the seat. The van swerved and I fell with the turn. It was then that I felt the warm rush of fluid between my legs.

"Well, congratulations. Someone knocked me up and one of you will get to deliver it."

John stared at me from behind the gun and Peter was staring at me as well. He didn't see the car in front of him and smacked right into the back of the parked car. They were both disoriented as was I but I tried to use the opportunity to open the door and get away from the van. The door wouldn't open and my slippery hands couldn't grasp the handle. I didn't notice John coming up behind me, or him raising the gun to swing it. I did feel it as the gun collided with my skull before I blacked out.

***

"Gibbs, please. It's my fault that Dani is out there. I can be of use. Abby will need help to find the van or the men who took her," Timothy McGee said from the hospital bed.

"McGee, you're no use to the team if you bleed out. Let the doctor stitch you up and then you can grovel all you want. DiNozzo, put a BOLO out on the van that McGee saw and an APB on any pregnant women resembling Dani. Ziva, talk to that woman in the hallway. She followed us here from the crime scene."

Tim looked past the doctor and saw Mrs. Nicholls in the hallway outside of the trauma room. Her gray hair was coming out of her bun and she looked worried. He could feel the doctor stitching up the bullet wound but there was no feeling to it. He was in shock but they also had numbed the area. Tim was lucky that the bullet was a through and through and only caught a fleshy part, nothing vital was hit.

"That's Dani's neighbor. She thinks I'm the father."

"Only you, Probie, would go along with that," Tony said, earning him a Gibbs smack upside the head.

Tony left to make the calls, Ziva went out to interrogate the old woman and Gibbs stayed with Tim. The injured man didn't know what to say but to apologize again. He felt horrible that Dani was taken by the men who she turned in. He felt horrible for whatever she was enduring while he was getting stitched up. He felt horrible because she was the last member of his boss' family. But he felt most horrible because after a day, Timothy McGee had a crush on Danielle Quartermaine.

"Boss, Metro has a report of the van being in a hit and run with a parked car a couple miles from Dani's condo about 10 minutes ago," Tony said as he rushed in.

"Ziva, DiNozzo get out there and see if you can find anything telling us where they went. I want Dani found now!"

The doctor finished applying a top layer of gauze and tape before Tim pushed him off and got off the table. He felt woozy but Dani was the priority now. He was fixed to a point and as long as he didn't stretch the wound, it shouldn't reopen. He grabbed his leather coat and did it up. It would have to do until he could grab another shirt.

"Boss, let's find Dani."


	5. Anyone Know How to Deliver a Baby?

**Note: Anything that seems familiar isn't mine; only Dani and a couple other characters...I researched what I could about the technical stuff so if I got something wrong, don't shoot me over it...think of it as creative liberties...Enjoy!**

* * *

I awoke sitting in a chair with my hands tied to the armrests and my feet to the legs. Pain flared from several areas on my body but the most concerning was the pain in my stomach. I knew labour would be painful but this hurt worse than getting shot. I knew I needed to keep track of how close the contractions were and how long. I looked down at my wrist for the watch I always wore but I couldn't see the face to tell the time.

I started off on a cursing streak, swearing at John and Peter, my parents, Uncle Jethro and then even Jesus himself. Don't get me wrong. I'm not religious so I don't worry about going to Hell for cursing using Jesus's name. I'm already going to Hell for plenty of other reasons. Only another contraction stopped me from starting again.

"You need to breathe," Peter said from the doorway.

What light there was came through the window and hit his pale hair. It was the typical blond of a surfer and from what little I knew about Peter, he probably had been a surfer as a teen in California.

"Just let me go. I won't say anything. I need to get to a doctor who can help with this delivery. I doubt you know a thing or two about delivering a baby."

"John said no."

"And if John told you to jump off a bridge, would you? You have your own mind, Peter. Use it. Don't let some old man tell you how to run your own life. He's already gotten you into so much shit. Do you have any clue about who is looking for me? My uncle, a former sniper in the Marines. Forget about the dishonorable discharge or jail time. Uncle Jethro is the type of man who shoots first when it comes to family."

Peter left the room and I breathed through the next contraction. They were coming every couple of minutes and if Uncle Jethro didn't find me soon, I was going to be delivering this baby myself alone, tied to a chair.

***

"Gibbs, I found something. Chief Petty Officer John Bowden owns property not that far out of the city. It didn't come up because he still has it registered under his deceased wife's maiden name. I'm sending McGee and Ziva the directions," Abby Sciuto said with her music blaring in the background, her pigtails bobbing to the beat.

"Good work, Abbs. CafPow's on me," Gibbs replied.

Tim read off the directions to the property while Gibbs sped the car up. After losing his wife and child, the ex-Marine had shut down. His heart didn't know love anymore. He did marry but he also divorced. No woman would compare to Shannon and no one would fill the void of losing Kelly. Although having Dani back was a close second. As he drove the road, his mind fluttered back to the last time he saw his niece.

It had been at his sister's funeral 3 years ago. The cancer that had been eating away at her body finally did her in, just shy of Dani's acceptance into the Navy. She stood there quietly beside her mother's coffin accepting the condolences from friends of the family. It wasn't until she saw him that Dani allowed herself to cry. She was the only family Gibbs had left and he wasn't going to lose her. With that, his foot pressed further down on the accelerator.

The car pulled up outside of the cabin and the men slowly got out. Both pulled guns from their holsters and Gibbs motioned to Tim to take the rear. Tim sneaked off around the side of the cabin, trying to look in through the window for Dani. Gibbs crept up to the front door and was about to push open the door when he heard a scream. He threw policy to the wind and kicked the door in. He did a quick scan and followed the next scream to a back room.

"Gibbs," Tim yelled.

"In here. Check for Bowden and Carter. They have to be here somewhere," Gibbs said as he rushed to Dani's side.

Sweat covered her brow and she was biting her lip trying not to scream again. Her pants were covered in blood and from how her hands were clenched around the armrests, she was experiencing another contraction. Gibbs pulled out his knife (Rule #9) and cut through the ropes holding her to the chair. He pulled her up into his arms and lifted her over to the bed.

"Boss," Tony called out.

"In the back room. Call for an ambulance. Dani's gone into labour."

"Uncle Jethro, there's no time. I need to push."

Tony and Ziva came around the corner into the room but the male soon backed out. The Mossad agent went to the girl's side and tried to mop her forehead. Gibbs went to remove the bloody pants but Dani stopped him

"No."

***

I was glad that Uncle Jethro had found me but he was my uncle. I knew he had been there when Kelly was born but he wasn't going to be seeing that part of me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him up towards the head of the bed.

"That would be too weird, Uncle Jethro."

"I've done it before, Gibbs. I'll need clean towels and something to clean the knife with."

"DiNozzo. McGee. Get in here," Uncle Jethro bellowed.

"No sign of them, Boss," Tim said as he entered the room.

"Find towels and get a bottle of water from the car. See if there's anything to sterilize the knife."

"And something to use to tie off the cord," Ziva ordered.

I kept Uncle Jethro near my head while Ziva draped a sheet over my lower half before taking off the pants. Tim came back with towels, some water, and a bottle of vodka. I smiled through the pain and joked that this wasn't the time to be having a celebratory drink.

"The high alcohol content will help sterilize the knife to a point. The bathroom was kind of bare but I did find some floss. Tony's outside watching for the ambulance."

"Give it to Ziva and come here. Sit beside Dani and support her through the contractions."

I watched as Tim paled slightly as he moved to sit on the left of the bed, my shoulder against his chest. Uncle Jethro was in the same position but on the other side of me. I could feel Ziva testing to see how dilated I was and declaring that I was ready to push. Uncle Jethro and Tim held me up while I breathed in and pushed. I grabbed behind my knees as leverage.

"You're doing good, Dani. Just breathe," Tim said encouragingly.

I rested until the next contraction hit and pushed again. I knew I was being stretched past my limits when Ziva said the head was out. Now the shoulders and the rest of the baby should come out naturally.

"I need to rest. Give me a second," I pleaded.

"Just one more push, Dani," Ziva ordered.

I glared at the woman and started swearing at her going back and forth between Russian and French. I grabbed my knees once more and pushed. Ziva lifted the baby and placed it on a towel that was draped over my stomach. She rubbed it clean with the towel and soon we heard it wail. Ziva used the floss to tie off the cord and cut in between the two spots.

"It's a boy," Uncle Jethro said.

"How does he look? Nothing's wrong with him, is there?"

"He's perfect, Dani," Tim said.

The paramedics came in followed by Tony. They took over for Ziva and delivered the placenta. Afterwards, they wrapped the baby up in blankets and lifted me onto the stretcher. Uncle Jethro told them to take me to the nearest Naval hospital and for the team to continue the search for my kidnappers.

"Uncle Jethro, relax. You'll find them but not today. OK?"

He accompanied me in the ambulance while the team followed us to the hospital. The gash on the back of my head was cleaned and patched but I was busy staring down at my son. He had a small tuff of dark hair on the top of his head and his brown eyes were gazing up at me.

"Have you thought of a name?"

"Spencer Gibbs Quartermaine."

My son was checked out at the hospital and declared perfectly healthy. He weighed in at 9 lbs 7 ounces and 23 ½ inches. I didn't have to spend any extra time at the hospital but I stayed while I ordered the doctor to check Tim's wound and made sure that it hadn't reopened.

Naturally since I couldn't really go home until my C.O and the other Petty Officer were caught, I was placed in protective custody. Uncle Jethro gave me a room at his house but made the team take shifts staying with me. He wanted to be out there looking for them. The first shift that Tony stayed with me and Spencer was too funny. He walked in while I was changing the diaper and gagged at the smell. Ziva was better but still seemed weary to be around someone that little. Only Uncle Jethro and Tim seemed great with Spencer.

"Probie, wasn't there a case awhile ago where you held the baby at arm's length? What makes this kid so different?"

"If you don't back off, Tony, I'll make you change Spencer," I threatened.

"He's not screaming and he's comfortable around me, unlike when you come in close and he starts crying."

Uncle Jethro was running late to the team's dinner get together. I couldn't make the rest wait for him since the meal was getting cold. I brought in the last of the meal and told them to sit down at the table. I made several dishes that wouldn't normally be served together but I wanted a bit of everything that they would enjoy.

"As you can see, there's a variety. I've made some Italian, some English, a vegetarian dish, and tried my hand at something Israeli. I hope it all tastes good."

"You didn't have to do this, Dani," Ziva offered.

"No, I did. You all helped me when I needed it and have been keeping an eye on me. At least once those guys get caught, I rely on you to protect me and Spencer. If only Uncle Jethro allowed me a gun."

"You can barely shoot," the man said from the doorway.

"Hey! I was 9 when you first took me. I can shoot more than just a stupid pistol, Uncle Jethro. Now get in here and eat. The food's getting cold."

"You can move back to your apartment tomorrow if you wish. I just came from seeing the Director. Bowden and Carter were caught. Well, Bowden tried to run his car through a blockade and was killed. Carter's being processed."

"That's great," Abby said.

"Yeah, it is," I sorrowfully said.

It was great that they were dead or in custody but it would likely mean that I'd be forgotten again. I know I could have contacted Uncle Jethro before this but my life was hectic and busy and, hell, I'm making excuses. I silently cried as I washed the dishes after the dinner. The team was in the living room relaxing. I never heard Tim enter the kitchen with Spencer.

"Hey, what's wrong, Dani?" he asked, coming to lean against the counter.

"It'll go back to what it was before. Uncle Jethro and you guys will be working for NCIS and I'll live alone in my little bubble with Spencer. Did you know I had more excitement in this last little while than I had in the last 3 years? My mother died and part of me shut down, the other focused so intently on my career that I didn't have a life outside of the core."

"Dani, look at me. You came into our lives and you won't be shut out. Gibbs will be there for you and Spencer and I hope you allow the team to be as well. And maybe even let me take you out?" he said, faintly quieter as he mentioned the last part.

"Tim, are you asking me out?" I smiled.

"Yes. You and me. You, me and Spencer. I had a great time protecting you, except for being shot but you being worried about me made up for that."

I took my son from Tim's arms and hugged him. I looked up into the bluey green eyes of the man in front of me and felt in my heart that life was going to be better.

"I'd love that, McGee. Just don't let Uncle Jethro know. He might work with you but to have you dating his niece might be weird."

"There's no rule about dating a colleague's family. Just dating colleagues," he whispered before lightly kissing my lips.

"You hurt her, McGee, and I'll show you exactly what I do to people who hurt my family," Leroy Jethro Gibbs threatened from the doorway.

The newest member of the NCIS team seemed to pale but a quick kiss from the woman who he was being to fall for calmed his nerves. He would do anything for her and hoped to prove it for many years. He looked at the baby in her arms and smiled. Tim McGee was looking forward to being part of their lives. As either a friend or husband or father. He wasn't going to let her get away. He didn't know it at that moment but Dani was thinking the same thing.


End file.
